Ration-card holders in Maharashtra have complained about receiving contaminated cooking oil in the discount ration kits provided by the state government. The oil is allegedly manufactured and distributed by a company whose license has been suspended. The complaints first arose in Tandulwadi village in Solapur and then spread to Mumbai, Thane, and other parts of the state. The ration kits, called ‘Anandache Shidha’, cost Rs 100 and contain cooking oil, rava, chana-dal, and sugar. The scheme was inaugurated on September 8 and aims to distribute around 1.57 crore kits to benefit approximately 7.50 crore people.
The beneficiaries have objected specifically to the oil packets, which were supposedly manufactured and supplied by Kirti Agrotech Ltd. in Solapur. The company’s manufacturing license has been cancelled, and many people claim that the oil packets have expired. A local activist from Solapur alleged that people threw away the oil packets as they could be dangerous to consume. However, the government-authorised ration shop owner in Tandulwadi denied that the oil packets had expired but admitted that the status of the company’s manufacturing license is uncertain.
Despite attempts to contact the company owners, they were not available for comment. The Shiv Sena (UBT) Consumer Protection Cell has accused the government of cheating customers by providing contaminated oil in the name of a festival discount kit. In response to the complaints, the Deputy Sarpanch of Tandulwadi and others halted the sale and distribution of the ration kits.
The company, Kirti Agrotech Ltd., has faced multiple complaints with various authorities, including the Centre, FDA in Mumbai, the district Collector, and the state government. Its license had been suspended months ago, raising questions about how it was given the contract for the Anandache Shidha scheme. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the affected consumers are demanding answers and want to know why people’s lives were put at risk by supplying such oil. The Food & Drugs Authority in Mumbai has pledged to investigate the complaints and verify the license details of the company.
